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Show Famous Forts in U. S. History By ELMO SCOTT WATSON The Training School of American Ameri-can Generals It Is doubtful If any other post In the United States has known as many of our famous military leaders as Jei ferson Barracks, Mo. When Jetterma Davis became secretary of war In isoa he determined to form a reglmem which would be the best in the army. Remembering the tradition of tne army, which, from the -close of tne War of 1812 had sent to Jefferson Barracks the most promising young officers in the army, he organized at that post the Second cavalry, later known as "Jeff Davis' pet." The colonel of the regiment was Albert Al-bert Sidney Johnston and its lieutenant-colonel was Robert E. Lee, destined des-tined for fame as two of Davis' greatest great-est Civil war generals. At the same time there was organized there the First regiment of cavalry with Edwin V. Sunnier (later a Union general) as colonel and Joseph E. Johnston (of Bull Hun fame) as lieutenant-colonel. In fact these two regiments gave to the Union and Confederate armies no less than 30 generals, among them such men as John Sedgwick, W. J-Hardee. J-Hardee. W. H. Emory, George Stone-man, Stone-man, E. D. Baker, "Jeb" Stuart, George H. Thomas Wesley Merrltt, Earl Van Dorn and Klrby Smith. But these are not the only distinguished distin-guished names on Jefferson Barracks roll of honor. There, too, appear Henry Leavenworth, Henry Atkinson, Stephen W. Kearney, John C. Fremont, Braxton Bragg, James Longstreet, Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, Philip Sheridan, Wlnfleld Scott Hancock and Nathan Boone, a son of the famous Kentucky pioneer. Jefferson Barracks also saw organized organ-ized the origlnul "rough riders" long , before the days of Theodore Roosevelt Roose-velt and San Juan hill. During President Presi-dent Van Buren's administration the Seminole Indians became troublesome nnrl the President asked the governor of Missouri to raise two regiments of mounted Missourlans, frontiersmen all, to serve against the Seminoles. From all parts of the state these horsemen poured in to St. Louis and under the leadership of General Gentry and Col. John W. Price they were organized at Jefferson Barracks and acquitted themselves brilliantly in Florida. Jefferson Barracks was established in 1S2G, as Cantonment Adams (in honor of President John Quincy Adnms), and during its existence of nearly a century has been an important impor-tant military rendezvous in all o Uncle Sam's wars from the Mexican to the World war. |